ALTHOUGH the other basketball action around Australia just wrapped, the National Basketball League (NBL) is rapidly approaching, with the landscape of the competition becoming clearer and clearer each day.

Following a thrilling conclusion to last season that saw the Tasmania JackJumpers claim the ultimate prize for the first time in their short history, the 2024/25 fixture is set to begin next month, and there are several contenders staking their claim for title favourites.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be taking a look at exactly how proceedings may pan out to make some bold early predicitions.

2024/25 NBL Predictions

The Championship

There are several sides that made key moves over the off-season to launch themselves into championship contention. The first team that comes to mind here is the Sydney Kings, who look primed for another title to continue their strong run in the 2020’s. The Kings brought back legendary coach Brian Goorjian, as well as former MVP winners Jaylen Adams and Xavier Cooks. These two stars will suit up alongside some other excellent pieces, and it is hard to see anyone stopping the Kings heading into the season.

Another side that could make a strong push are the Perth Wildcats, who will rally behind John Rillie at the helm, and are always dangerous if Bryce Cotton is in form. However, they will need to be at their best if they are to defeat the star-studded Sydney team.

Prediction: Sydney Kings

MVP

The NBL is as talented as it has ever been, making the MVP race one to watch over the course of the fixture. The biggest signing of the off-season was the return of Cooks, and he is the most likely to take home the top individual award again this season. Following a stint in the NBA, the versatile forward has returned to Australian shores, just one season after taking home the Andrew Gaze Award for MVP. Now playing under Goorjian, Cooks will be one of the stars of the competition for the upcoming fixture.

Four-time and reigning MVP Cotton has to be in the mix, given his unrivaled resume within the game, while returning guard Derrick Walton Jr showed his impressive ceiling as a member of the Kings a couple of years ago, and could become a superstar of the competition.

Prediction: Xavier Cooks

Breakout Rookie

The NBL offers young players the chance to stake their claim as a future gun of the sport, and with the league growing on the international stage, NBA scouts are consistently watching. The main player to watch on this front is big man Rocco Zikarsky, who impressed in limited minutes last season. The seven-foot-three 18-year-old was third in line for center minutes at the Brisbane Bullets, but with the departure of Aron Baynes and the development of his own game, he should see more court time and truly come into his own as a force of nature in the paint.

Prediction: Rocco Zikarsky